Energy. Environment. Economy.

As the Harrisburg reporter for StateImpact Pennsylvania, Marie Cusick covers energy and environmental issues for public radio stations statewide. She’s also part of NPR’s energy and environment team, which coordinates coverage between the network and select member station reporters around the country. Her work frequently airs on NPR shows including Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Weekend Edition. Since 2012, Marie has closely followed the political, social, environmental, and economic effects of Pennsylvania’s natural gas boom. Her work has been recognized at the regional and national levels– honors include a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and a national Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio Television Digital News Association. Previously, Marie was a multimedia reporter for WMHT in Albany, New York and covered technology for the station’s statewide public affairs TV show, New York NOW. In 2018, she became StateImpact’s first FAA-licensed drone pilot.

A report published today by a Suffolk University institute linked to climate change skeptics criticizes Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act and finds it could cause economic harm to the state.
The 2004 law requires energy utilities to purchase eight percent of their power from alternative sources, like solar and wind, by the year 2021.

The report is one of several produced by the Beacon Hill Institute at Suffolk, which has criticized similar alternative energy laws in other states. The Pennsylvania study finds that electricity rates could be 11.9% higher in 2021 as a result of the law.
Michael Head is a research economist at the institute and co-author of the report.
“A lot of these policies are instituted and the costs on future ratepayers are rarely talked about. You are requiring that electricity is produced in less efficient ways, which I think needs to be brought more into light,” he says.According to the Washington Post, the Beacon Hill Institute is supported by foundations funded by the Koch brothers. The controversial billionaires are known for supporting many conservative causes including denials of climate change.The Huffington Post points out that the Beacon Hill Institute was an official sponsor this year at the Heartland Institute’s annual climate-skepticism conference.
Head acknowledges that Suffolk University receives funding from the Koch brothers but says that the sources of funding for each of the Beacon Hill Institute’s individual reports are not disclosed.